Broadcasting system, encoder, multiplexing apparatus, multiplexing method, system switching apparatus, and synchronization control apparatus

Abstract

According to one embodiment, there is provided a multiplexing method including: receiving a TS over IP packet from a plurality of encoders which are disposed at physically remote places, or which are disposed in a virtual environment on a cloud computing system where physical locations are unidentifiable; performing multiplexing after compensating for a delay and jitter of a transmission path, based on a timestamp which is stamped on an RTP header of the TS over IP packet; and performing, with respect to a PCR packet, either multiplexing after compensating for the delay and the jitter, based on a time re-generated in a multiplexing apparatus, or multiplexing by generating a PCR packet in the multiplexing apparatus.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A multiplexing method performed by a multiplexing apparatus, the method comprising:
 receiving a packet or a radio wave comprising time information to reproduce a TAI (International Atomic Time) time; 
 determining a time length in which an STC (System Time Clock) counter value laps, to calculate a remainder of the time length relative to the TAI time, and generating a time for PCR (Program Clock Reference) based on the remainder; 
 converting the TAI time to a time with precision of a first frequency; 
 receiving an IP (Internet Protocol) packet to perform, based on the converted time with the precision of the first frequency, correction of a delay and jitter by using timestamp information which is stamped on an RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packet including a plurality of TS (Transport Stream) packets in the IP packet, and isolating the TS packets from the RTP packet; 
 separating the isolated TS packets according to predetermined kinds, and multiplexing the separated TS packets; 
 counting the reproduced TAI time by using a counter which is configured to operate at the first frequency and to count zero again once the TAI time advances to a predetermined bit, thereby outputting an ultimately acquired value as a counter value for an RTP header; and 
 adding the counter value for the RTP header to the multiplexed TS packets, thereby generating an RTP packet.